Copy table assembly



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. D. AUSTIN ETAL COPY TABLE ASSEMBLY GERALD D. AUSTINj MICHAEL WISHNOVSKY Oct. 18, 1949..

Filed June 2?, 1946 C 1949. G. D. AUSTIN ET AL 2,484,809

COPY TABLE ASSEMBLY Filed June 5, 1946 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 2 FIG? GERALD D.AUSTlN MICHAEL WISHNOVSKY Patented Oct. 18, 1949 COPY TABLE ASSEMBLYGerald D. Austin, Atlanta, Ga., and Michael Wishnovsky, Yeadon, Pa.

Application June 3, 1946, Serial No. 674,006

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel and improved copying table assemblyand more particularly to a copying table assembly for use in the art ofmicrophotography and other related arts.

An object of the invention is to providea device upon which a chart,drawing, or similar material may be readily placed and held in desiredposition while being photographed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for readilyplacing and holding the desired material being copied or photographed,in which holding means is adapted to be operated without the use of thehands, thus enabling the operator to utilize both hands for other needs,such as adjusting the position of the material while moving the holdingmeans.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device soconstructed as to enable use of desired materials, such as glass or thelike to overlie the work, which will satisfy the needs of the operator,and which will assure continuous operation without damage or breakage toits various members thus insuring long, continuous and completelysatisfactory operation.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide a device which issimple and compact in construction and is so designed as to speed upoperation.

Other objects will be apparent from the drawings and the accompanyingdescription, relating to one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the copying table.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the rear of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 4 showing the parts in a different position.In the art of micro-photography or like copying process, one of theproblems encountered is that of providing a means for holding lengthymaterials such as strip charts, drawings, or any similar material infixed smooth condition and properly disposed to enable the photographeror operator to quickly and easily operate the device for photographingthe material. The present invention was conceived to overcome thisproblem, and provides a novel copying table structure.

The device consists of a copying table assembly r erably wood or metal,and having any desired arrangement for containing control units for thevarious members of the apparatus, such as controls for lights, cameraand the like (not shown) usually mounted in association with the copyingtable. Fixedly mounted on the table top or copy board I is a plaquepreferably constructed of wood or similar material, and being of a sizeto support the material to be photographed. Adjacent the plaque 3 andhinged at the rear of the table by means of strap or like hinges is aplaten frame member 4 adapted to be raised and lowered. The platencomprises a frame constructed preferably of metal, and having anupstanding wall portion 5 having its lower edge turned over to form aninwardly extending flange B. The frame may desirably be made of angleiron. The upper surface of the flange portion 5 is preferably coveredwith felt I or other desirable cushioning material. The rear verticalwall 5 of the platen frame is preferably faced with a woodstrip 6a. Atransparent plate 8, preferably of tempered glass, is inserted in theframe and is of such dimensions and is so disposed as to be capable offreedom of movement up and down within the frame, the glass beingcushioned from the metal frame by the felt material 1 covering theflange portion of the frame and the wooden buffer strip 6a at the rearof the frame, when the platen frame is in raised condition, as seen inFig. 5. The frame is of such size that the inner edges of the flanges 6thereof will clear the outer edges of the plaque 3, the plaque thusbeing disposed therein when the platen is in down position. The plaque 3is of greater height or thickness than that of the flange 6 and its feltstrip 1, so that the upper surface of the plaque is at a higher levelthan the felt I and receives and carries the full weight of the glassplate 8, with the material to be photographed disposed therebetween,when the platen is in down position. Spring hooks 3! are positioned onthe front of the platen frame for holding the platen in down position onthe copy board I, by engaging the brackets 32.

On each end of the frame is an attaching means 9 for mounting anadjustable arm Ill. The arms I U are fixed to the platen in anadjustable manner and extend rearward of the table and preferably in aplane with the platen. On the outer end of each arm is affixed acounter-weight l l of desirable size and weight to over-balance theweight of the platen. Attached to each of the arms In adjacent theweight is an adjustable sleeve member H. The sleeve members 12 receiveand have slidable adjustment with the arms and are aifixed in desiredposition relative to the arms by a set screw [3 or like suitable means.The sleeve members have extensions the ends of which are pivoted to linkrods [4. Attached to each of the rear legs of the table a desired heightabove the base or floor are brackets l5. Extending through the twobrackets I5 is a shaft I6. On the shaft 16 and desirably adjacent tothe'inner one of the brackets 1'5 there is aflixed for movement with theshaft a crank lug IT. A second set of crank lugs l8 are provided, oneaffixed to each of the shafts I6 and are placed at a desired angle-withrelation to the crank lugs l1 and are desirably positioned adjacent theouter one of. the brackets l5.

Attached to the front legs of the table are brackets l9, these bracketsbeing similar to those on the rear legs and desirably positioned atsubstantially the same height above the base. brackets l 9 havepivotally mounted therein a second shaft 2i]. Downwardly extending cranklugs 21 are fixedly attached to the shaft 2B adjacent the inner surfaceof the brackets iii; The lower end of the crank lugs 2| are suitablyconstrueted to engage the link bars 22, said bars connecting the cranklugs 2| on the front shaft to the corresponding crank lugs H on the rearshaft. To the front shaft is fixedly attached a rod 23 desirably formedto resemble a fiat U. This member will act as a foot pedal or treadlefor rotating the shaft 20 and is desirably affixed to the shaft 20 at anangle of about 90 to the crank lugs 2!.

A stop means 24 is provided desirably mounted in combination with thestrap hinges 25 which mount the platen to the table. The stop meanscomprises an elongated horizontally extending plate member 28 suitablyattached as by welding to the rear face of each of the strap hinges 25,and being positioned substantially on a level with the rear of theplaten frame. The plate member 25 is preferably bent outwardly at itsfree and providing an extension 21 positioned rearward of the plate andhaving a bolt receiving hole therein. Aflixed to the rear frame of theplaten is a bolt receiving sleeve member 28 positioned adjacent the endof the plate 26' and being designed for pivotal movement of the bolt 29thereint A bolt 29 having one end bent to form substantially a 90 angleis inserted through the hole in the plate portion 21,. the bent nor--tion of the bolt being rotatably received in the bolt receiving sleevemember on the platen frame. The other end of the bolt extends outwardlythrough the plate portion 27 and has a stop nut 30' thereon by whichlength-wise adjustment on the bolt can be made. the hole in the platethrough which the bolt is inserted being considerably larger than thebolt and allowing for angular movement of the bolt therein. In. thismanner, the distance the strap hinge can open is controlled by theadjustment of the bolt length by means of the stop nut, and the platencan be raised only a certain distance and cannot be raised beyond thepredetermined point by the raising force of the counter-weight. Thus theglass sheet loosely mounted in the platen will not be dropped or jarredout of the frame and broken.

There is thus provided a device comprising a table, a plaque attached tothe top of the table for supporting the desired work material, a platenframe so sized as to surround the plaque in spaced relation thereto, anda transparent plate loosely mounted within the platen to rest on theplaque when the platen is in down position. A foot pedal means isprovided for lowering the The platen, with a spring hook or latch meansfor maintaining the platen in lowered condition, and a counter-weightfor raising the platen. When using the device the operator places thematerial to be photographed on the plaque, holding it stra ght and indesired position with his hands. Then by means of the foot treadle, thecounter-- weight and adjustable arm upon which the weight is mounted, isforced upward, thus lowering the platen by desired foot pressure, andthereby clamping the work sheet between the frame of the platen and thetable, the platen being held in down position desirably by the springhook arrangement or the like. In the down. position of the platen, theplaque is disposed Within and spaced from the frame of the platen, thusraising the sheet of glass loosely mounted. therein from its seat on theplaten frame. The weight of the glass thus bears on the plaque and holdsthe material in smooth condition for photographing. After the picturehas been completed, the spring hook or latch means is disengaged and theplaten is returned to its upward position by the counteruveight. Thestop means provided at the rear of the platen regulates the maximum upposition of the platen.

A photronic cell or photo-electric scanner 33 is fired to the cameratower 36. Also a microammcter 34, which performs the function of anexposure meter, and a voltmeter 35, are mounted on the instrument box onthe tower beside the photronic cell.

It will be apparent that this invention is not to be limited to theembodiment disclosed in the drawings and written description, but thatvarious modifications may be made therein Without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention, as defined b the terms of the apparentclaims or the equivalents thereof.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed:

1. A copy table assembly comprising a table, a horizontally disposedwork supporting plaque extending above the surface of said table, workholding means comprising a frame having vertical sides and a horizontalflange on the lower edges of said sides, said vertical sides having agreater height than the vertical height of said plaque above said table,a plate of transparent material loosely mounted on said horizontalflange within said sides for free vertical movement, said plaque havinga greater vertical height than said horizontal flange, means for raisingand lowering said frame between a down position wherein said lowerflanged edge rests upon the table surface and a raised position withsaid frame spaced above the plaque, said frame receiving and encirclingsaid plaque in the down position with the plaque projecting through saidframe and supporting said transparent plate thereon independent of saidframe in cooperation to hold a sheet flat on said plaque, said platebeing supported by said horizontal flange on the lower edge of saidframe in the raised position of said frame, said. means for raising andlowering said frame comprising arms, mounted on opposite ends andextending rearwardly from and in the plane of said frame, acounterweight mounted on said arms to the rear ofv said frame adjustablebetween the extremities thereof and said frame for normally moving andholding the frame in raised position, and manually operated means forlowering said frame to plaque encircling position against the operationof said counterweights.

2. A copying table assembly comprising a work table, a horizontal-1ydisposed work supporting plaque fixed to its upper surface and extendingvertically therefrom, a work holding platen hingedly connected at itsrear edge to the rear margin on said table and adapted to swing towardand away from said plaque to encircle the same, arms mounted on each endof said platen at one end and extending rearwardly in substantially thesame plane therewith, a pair of counterweights, one adjustably mountedon the free end of each arm, said counterweights normally mov ing saidplaten into raised position, means for lowering said platen operativelyconnected therewith comprising a pair of shafts rotatably mounted inspaced parallel relation on the lower portion of said table at the frontand rear thereof, a U-shaped pedal having the ends secured to oppositeends of the shaft at the front of said table, crank arms mounted on bothof said shafts, a link connecting the free ends of said crank arms,another pair of crank arms on said rear shaft, and links connected atone end to said last-mentioned crank arms and adjustably connected atthe opposite ends to said first-mentioned arms between said platen andsaid counterweights, said means for lowering said platen being manuallyoperated by manually engaging said foot pedal to lower said platenagainst the operation of said counterweights.

GERALD D. AUSTIN.

MICHAEL WISHNOVSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,835,340 Satterlee Dec. 8, 19311,999,616 Peterson Apr. 30, 1935 2,107,867 Mayer Feb. 8, 1938 2,127,601Jaife Aug. 23, 1938 2,205,480 Kidwell June 25, 1940

